ask, though it'll ruin me. I'll put it in the big oak to-morrow
night."
" No," disagreed Dave, " I mus' have it at once. Spot cash
an' we're quits, cap'n."
The old man mused a moment and then reluctantly turned to
the oaken chest. After a great deal of rummaging about, he drew
out a square tin box and placed it upon the table. Then, with a
key which he carried suspended about his neck by a siken cord, he
opened it. Dave's eyes glistened greedily as he noted the pack
ages of bank notes and piles of gold coin. With trembling hands
the old captain drew out a bundle of notes and untied the cord
that bound them. Then, slowly and carefully, he counted out
to Dave the price of his silence. Returning the remainder to the
box, he snapped the lock and turned to replace it in the chest.
As he did so, Dave rose stealthily to his feet and followed him.
In the snaky eyes there gleamed a murderous light and in the
clenched hand glittered a more murderous-looking knife.
As the old man closed the great lid, Dave bent over him and
seized him by the throat. With a quick jerk he threw back the
head and shoulders, exposing the breast. Then, before the cap
tain could grasp the truth, the knife descended and buried itself
in his heart. With a stifled cry the old man fell to the floor.
At that instant the parrot awoke.
" Murder!" it shrieked, and flew wildly at Dave, pecking and
clawing at his head.
He turned like a flash and grasped the bird by the neck, gave
it a quick wrench and flung it into the further corner of the room.
A convulsive shudder, a flutter of bright wings and the bird lay
still.
Dave wiped the blood from a deep scratch on his cheek where
the parrot's beak had struck him, and then bent over the dead
man. With an unshaking hand he drew out the little key and
took it from the string. Then he opened the chest, drew out the
tin box, and dextrously transferred the treasure to his pockets.
Casting a final glance about the room he walked quickly to the
window and was about to vault through when a sudden thought
seemed to come to his mind. Turning swiftly he put out the
light. Only a faint glimmer from the open grate fire shone aboutc
the room. Then he took up the tin box and filled it with various
old letters and papers which he found in the chest, after which